A team of experts will be visiting sites in Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde to assess monuments of national importance. The team from Historic Scotland is responsible for identifying the most important archaeological sites and monuments in Scotland. Dr Sally Foster, Head of the Scheduling Team, said: “We are all very much looking forward to visiting these sites and meeting the owners in the coming weeks. We have identified about 120 out of the known 5000 or so sites in the area that we would particularly like to visit, ranging from early prehistoric monuments through to military remains from the Second World War. Our aim is to improve the record of existing scheduled monuments as well as identifying the important monuments that still merit legal protection."

Outside the great gates of Doune Castle once stood a tree where wrongdoers were reputed to have been hanged. Historic Scotland has been anonymously gifted a copy of a Victorian guidebook with covers made from carefully cut, polished and varnished pieces of oak. Inscribed on the front are the words ‘Made from the Wood of the Old Gallows Tree at Doune Castle’. The text explains that the tree had finally blown down in November 1878. Such was its notorious appeal that parts were cut up and used for furniture – several pieces are still at the castle for visitors to see – while others became guidebook covers, adding a whiff of sulphur for the owners.

More training opportunities in masonry conservation are to be offered in Scotland thanks to additional funding announced by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). In addition to the 14 year long and 50 short term training opportunities that will be available through the bursary programme, Historic Scotland is also providing training grants in other conservation skills of up to Â£2,000. Culture Minister Michael Russell said: “It is especially important that at a time like this, support is given to ensure training continues. Scotland has been a world leader in design, engineering and traditional skills for generations and these grants and bursaries will give people the opportunity to learn the skills to maintain and conserve our outstanding architectural landscape.”

A lively and informative new website has been launched to let visitors know about everything that’s going on at Stirling Castle. The castle is among the best historic attractions in Scotland and right now there are a series of exciting projects underway to make it even better. The website will keep people up to date with the latest developments in the Â£12 million Stirling Castle Palace Project, which is returning the royal palace to how it may have looked in the mid-16th century. It is also full of historical information about the castle, its past and its place in Scottish history.

The work of a World Famous Scottish Firm is being revealed today (Monday) with a new book charting the progress of the Walter MacFarlane and Co. Saracen Foundry iron foundry in Glasgow. Launching the reprint of the 19th Century foundry’s incredible designs at Glasgow’s Trades Hall, Culture Minister Michael Russell said: “At its peak around 1895 this firm and some others like it gave Scotland the reputation as the leading architectural ironfounders of the world - ironwork made in Scotland was exported across the globe - from fountains to entire railway stations. Whilst many know of our engineering prowess, few are aware of the importance of this industry''.